Masonic Notes And Queries.

ami Confirmed . , with suiulrij Alterations , ou , the 10 th daij of April , A " . 1309 ; A . L . 5813 ; A . D . 1809 ; A . o . 091 : A . C . 495 . ] ' SOUTHAMPTON ; LIBRARY AND rORTKAITS . I have only just noticed the inquiry ( three or four Magazines back ) as to the existence of a Masonic library at the Masonic Hall , Southampton . I regret to say there is not onealthough there is

, a growing disposition to form one . In the same Magazine some inquiry is made as to Masonic portraits , and in this respect our Masonic hall is well supplied ; amongst others there arc life sized portraits of the Earl of Montague , first Master of the Lodge of Concord ( no longer existing ); Sir Win . De Crespigny , Bart ., MP . ; John Story Penleaze , Esq ., M . P . ; Admiral Sir Lucius Curtis , Bart ., taken when Prov . Grand Masters ; Chas . Ewcns Deacon ,

Esq ., D . Prov . Grand Master , and many others . Recently a photographic gallery lias been commenced , already containing twenty local Masonic worthies . —J . RANKIN STEBBING , AA . M . No . 1087 .

STYLES OF GHAND OFFICERS AT THE UNION . Reading an account ofthe Lodge of Reconciliation in 1813 , and the names of the brethren appointed to Grand Office immediately afterwards , I find the third on the list to be John Dent , Esq ., G . T ., and at tlie end is AVilliam A . Salmon , G . T . There is also the Rev . Henry Isaac Knapp , D . G . C ., and Benjamin AidhouseG . U . AA ere there two Grand Tlersand what were the

, y , offices held by the others mentioned ?— -EST . —[ The G . T . appended to the name of Bro . John Dent , Esq ., signifies Grand Treasurer ; D . G . C ., Deputy Grand Chaplain , an appointment made because there wore two Grand Chaplains at the time ; and G . U . means Grand Usher , an office that has been merged in the more recent one of Grand Pursuivant . ]

MASONI 5-Y THE SCIENCE OF SCIENCES . All the writers on Masonry that enter into the subject , as essayists , maintain that John Locke , or Sir Isaac Newton , and in some instances both , said that "Masonry is a science of sciences , and the noblest work of man . " There are so many vague quotations and opinions floating about in the Masonic world , that I am inclined to think the above one of them . Having a decent

acquaintance with the recognized works of both these philosophers , and being totally unable . to recall any such passage written by Locke or Newton , perhaps some of your readers can refer me to the passage if it exists , or , if not , it is time it was struck out of all writings pretending to any degree of accuracy of statement . — AMANI-ENSIS .

ST . MARY ' S C 1 IAPEI . LODGE , EDLVBCliGII , NO . 2 . An English brother of the above Lodge , who does not wish his name known , has written to us privately , and states that the above Lodge is in possession of an ancient carved oak regalia chest , on which is inscribed , hy the carver of the time , the date , 1 G 81- , and the legend " God save the King and Mason Craft . "

Ml . IIAI . TII SClIOMBEllG . Perhaps some of your Irish readers will kindly tell us anything they know of Dr . Ral ph Schomberg ? The reason for inquiry is , that at the end of The Fundamental Laws , Statutes , and Constitutions of the Ancient and Most Benevolent Order of the Friendly Brothers of Saint Patrick ( fourth edition , Dublin , 1808 ) , there are two songs written by him , and the Order smacks so strongly of a

Masonic ori gin that it seems , from its rules , to be made up of Masonry , and very likely numbered many Masons in its ranks , of which it would be desirable to know if Dr . Ralph Schomber" - were one ?—E . 0 . Q . II . °

THE EDINBURGH HOYAL IXl- 'IllMAllY . Iii the Scottish Masonic . Calendar for the present year , anion" - the " Masonic Memorabilia" occurs the following entiy : — " Foundation stone of the Royal Infirmaiy at Edinburgh , laid ivith Masonic solemnities by the Earl of Gromartj-, Grand Master Mason of Scotland , August 2 , 1738 . Note . At the time of erecting this invaluable asylum , the G . L . proposed , and , it is believed

paid the wages of a number of operative Masons who assisted iu building the edifice , in order to have allotted a particular apartment in the hospital for the reception of a few infirm Masons , to be recommended to the managers of the infirmary by the Grand Master . " From which it is presumed that the Grand Lod ge of Scotland have failed to make out its title to their claim . Has any similar charitable foundation ever been made for the brethren in

any other public institution in Great Britain , Ireland , or the colonies ?— -11 . I . X . AI 1 WAN l . EZOX , In the States there have been several " Ahinian Eezons " printed , but in none of them , that thc undersigned has seen , can

he trace the moaning of the title . AVill some one of the brothers iu the Old Country help him to its i ' , iguification ?—A . Charlestown , U . S . —[ Our correspondent "A" has overlooked an authority whicli , ive presume , he must have seen , viz ., Dr . Dalcho's edition for the use of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina—our querist's own province—printed in 1822 . At the 159 th page , chap . vii . "Definitions , Titles , & c , " the author says , — " The Book of

Constitutions is usually denominated AMMAN RE / . OX . The literal translation of Ahinian is , ' A prepared brother , ' from nianah , ' to prepare ; ' and that of rczon , ' secret ; ' so that Ahinian Jlczon . literally means , Ihe secrets of a prepared brother . It likewise is supposed to be a corruption of Acid Alan Relzan , i . e ., the thoughts , or opinions of a true ancl faithful brother . " The first edition , now very scarce , gives the signification , as received amongst our

brethren , at the time of its publication , and for that reason we append the orig inal title . Ahinian Hezon , or a Help to a Brother , shewing the Excellency of Secrecy , and the First Cause ofthe Institution of Freemasonry , ihe Principles of the Craft , and the Benefits arising from a Strict Observance thereof ; the Sort qf Men that , ought to be Initiated into the Society , by Bro . Lawrence Dermott , 8 vo ., Belfast , 1782 . ]

THE DUKE ^ OF SUSSEX ' S KING . A correspondent states "I have a copy of an ancient signet ring , found at Nottingham , bearing an eagle and on the breast the letter S . It came afterwards into the possession of the Duke of Sussex—and I have heard he was buried with it on his finger . Thc Duke considered it the official seal of one of the chiefs of the Order in the fourteenth century . "—[ We shall be happy to receive any remarks on the circumstances mentioned above ]

PLAN FOR A MASONIC HALL . Reference is wanted to a plan for a Masonic Hall in ivhich both Craft Masonry and the hig her degrees could be conveniently performed . —E . P . D . CAGLIOSTRO ' S RITUAL . Is any Lodge iu possession of a copy of Cagliostro ' s Ritual of Egyptian Masonry ?—C .

MASONIC TOMB IN NE 1 VINGTON BUTTS CHURCHYARD . It is reported that there is a tombstone with Masonic emblems and inscriptions erected in the churchyard of Newington Church , Surrey . If so , would some of your readers residing in the vicinity of Newington , kindly step in , look around , and forward a description and copy of the writing engraved thereon?—PIULU' OF DALSTON .

MASONIC ARMORIAL UEAlUNGS . AVhat families are entitled to bear Masonic emblems in their arms , when were such arms granted , and for ivhat?—GIU . KS . GEORGE TV . AND WILLIAM IV . IX LODGE . Are there any records to show whether our deceased sovereigns and brethren , Kings George TV . and AA'illiani IV ., ever , either or both , attended any Lodge meeting after they had come to the crown ?—LOYALTY .

Till ' . OLDEST ENCAItlMIKXTS . AVhat are the dates of the oldest Encampments at present existing ?—H . C . —[ According to thc return of Grand Conclave , just issued , they are as follows : —Jerusalem , Manchester , 1795 ; Loyal Ashton-under-Lync Encampment of A olunteers , 179 C ; Plains of Rama , Kcighley , Yorks ., 1792 ; Royal Naval , Portsmouth , 1791 ; St . George ( late Cross of Christ ) , London , 1795 ; and Observance , time immemorial .

MF . TROPOTJTAX FREE HOSPITAL . —Two sermons in aid of tins valuable charity ( Devonshire-square ) were preached in All Saints' Church , Skinner-street , Bishopsgate , on Sunday , May 27 th ; in the morning , by the Itight Rev . the Lord Bishop of Durham , and in the evening , by the Rev . C . Marshall , M . A ., Vicar of St . Bride ' s , and Prebendary of St . Paul ' s . The discourse in tbe morning was founded upon Proverbs xxii , 2 , " The rich and poor meet together , the Lord is the maker of them all . " The right reverend prelate took occasion to show that all were alike liable to

the same racking pain : all alike liable to tlie same passions—grief , re . morse , despair . The rich and poor meet upon terms of equality in the hour of death , and again in that day when each will give an account of his stewardship . His lordship concluded a most eloquent discourse with a powerful appeal on behalf of the hospital . In the evening the text was taken from Matthew xii . H , In . The reverend gentleman in the course of his sermon appealed to the congregation to assist iu providing the means for affording advice and assistance to the destitute sick . The collections amounted to _ £ 15 10 s . The funds are very low , ancl the balance against the hospital exceeds _ C 1 000 ,